Change (The Shape Shifter Series) by Jennifer Loiske Read Free Book Online Page A

her forgiveness, and if - and that was a really big if - she decided to let them go, she would exile them from this valley. They would have to face the real world. And who would laugh then? They would have to open their eyes and learn to live among the people they despised so much. Yes, they were stronger than humans, but without the pack they would just be strangers who were scared and lonely in a strange world. Soon they would know what real power was and they would tremble before her. She felt the power tingling in her fingers and she smiled cruelly.
    “Enough!” a low female voice said quietly. “Sofia, let go.”
    Sofia lowered her head, but didn't let go of her powers.
    “I said enough,” the woman said with a hint of warning in her voice.
    Sofia cursed and let the power stream out of her. She closed her eyes for a moment before turning to face the woman. “Mother.” She nodded suspiciously at her.
    The woman looked at her carefully. She was like a calm lake in the middle of the storm and Sofia could see the others giving her space. Some even bent their heads and suddenly found something very interesting on the ground. Good. Maybe things were not so different here after all. An alpha had arrived and the others obeyed without question. She looked at her mother again, her lips drawn into a thin line. Her mother’s golden-brown hair was tied in a loose knot on her neck and her warm brown eyes begged her to trust her. She stepped one step forward.
    Sofia backed away. “I thought we might have a rather different welcoming committee,” she said coldly. “What is this?” She gestured around her. “If I had known things are like this here I would’ve stayed the hell away.”
    Her mother stood straight, weighing her up with her eyes , but remained silent.
    Sofia lifted her chin defiantly. “I think it was a huge mistake to come here.” Her mother didn’t move and Sofia turned to Tiamhaidh. “We should leave.”
    “Don't,” the woman said quickly.
    Sofia stopped and turned slowly. Her mother looked around her and raised her voice. “This is my daughter,” she said and pointed at Sofia. “And this…” A soft smile played on her lips. “… is my granddaughter.” She looked at Marie for a moment. “They are my flesh and blood, and I expect you to treat them as such. If you raise up against them, you raise up against me. Is that clear?”
    The crowd muttered quietly and no one dared meet their alpha’s eyes.
    “Is that clear, I asked!” Her voice held a threat and Sofia could see people slowly starting to nod around them and the wall of hatred beginning to crack. Her mother bowed her head, pleased, and turned back to Sofia.
    Sofia stared at her demandingly and her mother smiled at her, turning her palms towards her as a peace offering. Sofia crinkled her nose and turned her head away.
    Her mother sighed deeply. “I'm sorry, child. This is not what I expected either, and believe me when I say I wanted to come and meet you at the airport, but something came up and I couldn’t.” She looked as if she wanted to say more but decided not to, and before Sofia had a chance to say anything, she touched her arm and whispered slowly, “Can you forgive me?”
    Sofia stared at her and wanted to be angry, but she couldn't. Her mom had never been evil, and whatever happened earlier today couldn't be her fault. If she said she couldn't come, there must have been something really urgent and important that required her attention. After all, she was one of the leaders. She nodded slowly and her mother stepped closer. She touched Sofia's face and hair as Sofia stood stiffly, but slowly Sofia's heart started to melt and she felt all the knots around it opening. She sniffed quietly and let her mom pull her into her warm arms.
                                                                         

CHAPTER 6
     
     
    Marie stared at her mom and the